


Jade and Jealousy

by Asmicarus



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Divergence, Character Study, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Told through Blanca's eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:11:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26420152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asmicarus/pseuds/Asmicarus
Summary: When Blanca witnesses Lee Yut-Lung murder his final brother in cold blood, he reflects on the similarities and differences between his new young master and Ash Lynx.Blanca wanted to see what truly lay behind the venom the snake guarded himself with so fiercely.He underestimated what that meant for him.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Blanca/Lee Yut-Lung, Blanca/Natasha Kalsavina, One Sided - Relationship, mentioned
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	Jade and Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> In my opinion, Lee Yut-Lung and Blanca are undoubtedly two of the most interesting characters in terms of their motivations within the context of Banana Fish. Something I had always appreciated about this manga was its ability to create morally ambiguous characters. Yut-Lung and Blanca, for me, represent both the morally reprehensible hero and the sympathetic villain. It was a concept I really wanted to explore :D
> 
> If you see any S/P/G errors, please feel free to correct me! Similarly, I only lived in Asia for a short while, so if any Cantonese speakers see any errors in my Cantonese, please absolutely feel free to point it out! 
> 
> If mentions of abuse, implied sexual content and graphic violence disturb you, please proceed with caution.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Banana Fish or any of its characters in any capacity. Any relation to any persons living or dead is completely coincidental. I do not profit in any way from this work of fiction. 
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this (rather long!) one shot. :D xx

Blanca didn’t particularly consider himself to be a man that possessed a degree of wisdom beyond his years. Actually, he believed himself to be the kind of person no one should really go to for advice. In a world of black and white decisions, he found himself increasingly in the grey. He supposed it shouldn’t be surprising. His profession didn’t lend itself to any sense of morality _other_ than grey. He wouldn’t say he had the moral compass of a roulette wheel, but rather the flexibility to justify his actions in accordance to his beliefs, and his beliefs alone. He was a pawn to the rich and powerful, and he was happy playing his part for them. It was not up to him who lived and who died, it was only his task to carry out their wishes. To use his skills as efficiently, discreetly and as professionally as possible before he took his money and went on his merry way. Like a grim reaper or angel of death, he passed, he took the lives of the damned, and he moved on.

Despite his reflection on his own morality, Blanca was not a narrow-minded man. He liked to read and better himself. He found rather quickly that to have a little knowledge of everything as opposed to a lot of knowledge of one thing offered him a great service. He had worked for clients all over the world, if he could speak only a little Xhosa, see a Bollywood movie, or learn a little of the history of Scottish golf courses, it would ensure his client felt valued and served to make Blanca more approachable. Talking to strangers became far easier when you knew a little of everything.

He had read recently that speaking a man’s language spoke to his heart, and he couldn’t agree more.

That being said, even with his extensive reading, he found little in common with his latest client. Lee Yut-Lung, in a strange sort of sense, was not unlike many of the men he had worked for previously. He was young, probably too young, and certainly far too rich. Walking into the vast expanse of the Lee family residence had offered a little, but significant insight as to what type of person Lee Yut-Lung was, and how he had grown up. Every wall of the place was a piece of art. From the ceiling to floor, embroidered tapestries were hung like the most decedent curtains. On the walls, paintings from the Song dynasty, and Ming vases stood proudly on display as if they weren’t worth the millions. As for the young master himself; he was dressed in only the finest silks and cottons, but even this was not what truly stood out about him when Blanca had initially met him.

Of course, he had heard rumours. Mr. Golzine had spoken to him about their Chinese confidants. He had said that they had a snake within their own clan. A poisonous snake. Blanca had not expected a snake to look so beautiful, but then he supposed, that was how he hid his venom. Blanca recalled a line he had read in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. ‘One must look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it.’ And Lee Yut-Lung _was_ beautiful. His long hair fell over his shoulder like a curtain of silk. His almond shaped eyes added to the soft curves of his face. The perfect façade for the deception that lurked under the feminine fragility of his countenance.

Blanca knew now that Lee Yut-Lung was deceptive. He was cunning in a way very few were. The gift of intelligence had been granted to him generously. A deadly combination of beauty and brains. It reminded Blanca of another young man he knew. As he created his contract with his young master, he couldn’t help but observe the similarities between Ash Lynx and Lee Yut-Lung. Two sides of the same coin… except they weren’t. There was the obvious comparison between the pair, but recently, Blanca had sensed a shift in Ash. A shift no doubt attributed to Eiji Okumura. As soon as Blanca saw the pair together through the scope of his rifle, he knew that Ash had found something to fill the space in his heart he’d been missing. Watching them had reminded Blanca of seeing his Natasha. Ash Lynx and Eiji Okumura came as a pair. When Blanca saw them, he couldn’t help but feel happy for his charge.

It was almost a shame that Lee Yut-Lung was so intent on ensuring Ash would never love or be loved in return. And he could see that destroying Eiji Okumura was the sure-fire way to ensure Lee Yut-Lung could bring Ash back into the darkness. Blanca was secretly glad he would have nothing to do with Okumura Eiji’s downfall. He didn’t want to stand in the way of an Ash Lynx who had had the only happiness granted to him by a cruel, dark world taken away from him by someone who seemed to be his shadow. Ash had unintentionally provoked a serpent. And he had turned the snake’s eyes green. However, Blanca would continue to play the part he was given. It was still not his decision who lived and died. He could only brace for the consequences.

The bond between Ash and Eiji was not the only thing Yut-Lung was intent on destroying, as Blanca had recently found out. The bonds of the Lee family blood were also being put to the test. If blood was thicker than water, he didn’t want to see how the Lee family treated their friends.

Blanca had wondered why Yut-Lung even needed a bodyguard in the first place when he had managed to simultaneously pick off his brothers one by one like clockwork. Yut-Lung appeared small and frail, but he was anything but. His intelligence was his armour, and Blanca was his shield. He didn’t know why the Lee brothers hated each other so, and he wasn’t going to ask. It was either that Lee Yut-Lung was a power-hungry tyrant, or he was a young man that had been irreversibly damaged. Blanca himself had suspicions about which one the youngest Lee brother could possibly be. During his stay at the Lee family residence, he had picked up a copy of ‘The Art of War’ and he felt, even amongst all of Sun Tzu’s strategic brilliance and wisdom, one particular quote stood out to him in relation to the dynamic of the Lee family.

It came to him as he stood quietly in the corner of one of the Lee’s conference rooms, watching a small group of armed men of the Corsican mafia wait for Lee Yut-Lung’s signal to fire. The boy’s last remaining brother sat at his desk. Blanca tried to recall his name. Tian-Lung? He was trying and failing to conceal the look of fear and unexpected betrayal on his face. It was a look Blanca had seen countless times before, but never quite this way. He had never seen someone look that way at someone so young.

Sun Tzu had said: “It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson is to love your enemy.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem the youngest Lee brother had picked up ‘The Art of War’ to read for himself. Or more likely, he didn’t see fit to take Sun Tzu’s advice. He had decided to fight his own war. One that would be conducted on his terms and no one else’s. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Lee Tian-Lung stood up suddenly from his desk, his brows furrowed in a wary confusion. He seemed to observe the men brandishing their firearms before he even noticed his younger brother was stood before him. When his eyes finally met Yut-Lung’s, the expression on his face shifted to one of outrage. He seemed, in that very moment to understand exactly what was going on. He knew then his time was up, or would be very soon.

“Brother.” Yut-Lung greeted, not as a way of politeness, but more of something to say. The elder brother swallowed.

“What are you playing at? Who are these men? Tell them to put their weapons away.” Yut-Lung began to steadily pace up and down, which seemed to unnerve Tian-Lung.

“No. I don’t think I will.” Blanca could see the jitters rising within the elder. He was obviously hating the uncertainty of the situation. Blanca could see him calculating how long it would be before he lived, or before he died. Tian-Lung pushed his chair out to walk and stand before his desk, stumbling briefly on the carpet. He made to grab at Yut-Lung’s arm, but the younger batted the hand off him with a sharp snap.

Yut-Lung turned to look his brother in the eye.

“You know why I am here.” He gestured to the Corsican men. “And you know why they are here. This has been years in the making, and finally I’m getting what I deserve.”

Blanca felt odd observing the scene from the corner. As if he were watching a movie instead of the scenario happening in front of his eyes. Yut-Lung was shorter than Tian-Lung, and his beauty was only amplified by standing next to him. It was a complete oxymoron to see such violence appear from someone so feminine. But Blanca had to reason with himself. Being beautiful did not equal being moral. Being feminine did not equal being demure. Lee Yut-Lung was dangerous and should have been treated as such. He knew now why so many of his enemies underestimated him. Why so many of his enemies ended up prey to the snake’s charms. The matching tattoos on the brother’s necks did nothing but highlight how different the pair were.

It was then that Tian-Lung began to chuckle humourlessly to himself. He looked into Yut-Lung’s eyes and placed a surprisingly gentle palm on his brother’s cheek, thumb absently caressing his cheekbone. The fondness of the act seemed so out of place.

“Wang Lung always said that your mother’s ghost would seek revenge on us one day. It seems she chose her son to do it.” It offered Blanca only the tiniest insight as to what this familial conflict was about. Yut-Lung was unmoved by the palm against his cheek. Instead, his own dainty hand moved up to Tian-Lung’s collar, and he pulled a slim chain out from under his brother’s shirt. The hand on Yut-Lung’s cheek retreated slowly, and Tian-Lung’s face settled in a stoic neutrality. Almost a look of acceptance. On his necklace hung a small disk of jade, smaller than the palm of Yut-Lung’s hand. Yut-Lung’s eyes flicked up to examine his brother’s expression, and with a hard tug, the clasp of the chain snapped. Seemingly in one sweeping motion, Yut-Lung set the jade on the desk, picked up a paperweight and slammed it down on the jade so hard pieces of the gem shattered everywhere and the necklace was broken.

“I agree with you. With your death, my mother’s revenge will be complete, and she can finally be at peace.”

Blanca didn’t know much about Chinese culture, but he knew they were a superstitious people. Every Chinese person he had known, be it man or woman, had worn jade to protect them from vengeful spirits. Especially during the August ghost month, if he recalled correctly. He remembered one such Chinese colleague telling him that if the jade broke, a spirit had wanted to attack them, and they had been protected. All this talk between Yut-Lung and Tian-Lung about a mother’s revenge had only confirmed for Blanca that the woman had passed on, and Yut-Lung’s brothers had something to do with it. And with the symbolic breaking of the jade about his neck, protection was no longer offered to him. Yut-Lung and his mother’s spirit could have their revenge for whatever wrong was committed in the past.

Yut-Lung walked away to stand in line with the armed men. Blanca knew he was getting himself out the range of fire. Behind him, Tian-Lung seemed to start to panic. His eyes flicked backwards and forwards as he tried desperately to think.

“Wait.” He blurted out. Yut-Lung turned to regard him, but his eyes were cold. His brother dropped to his knees and Yut-Lung raised a dainty eyebrow.

“Yes?”

“Let me live, and I’ll move back to Shanghai. I’ll never step foot in the States again. I’ll even pay you monthly.”

Yut-Lung began to chuckle. It was unnerving. Soon, his small chuckle had escalated into a full-on laugh.

“Oh, brother! You really think that money could sway me? This ambition is higher than money. With your death, my magnum opus is complete. I have no need for money.” Tian-Lung snarled.

“I’ll help you catch Ash Lynx and his Japanese pet.” Yut-Lung’s laughter ceased abruptly, and his lip curled into a snarl to match his brother’s. Blanca did not think it appropriate to point out how similar they both looked. Yut-Lung began to take slow strides forward. When he spoke, his voice was soft, but that did not diminish its menace. Whispers could be deafening.

“Listen to me and listen well. I do not need any assistance in catching Ash Lynx. When he finally makes a mistake… he’s all mine. As for Okumura Eiji, why Ash keeps him around is unknown to me, but as long as he is Ash’s weakness, and Ash Lynx insists on feebly protecting him, I will pursue Eiji Okumura until Ash gives in.”

Yut-Lung backed away from Tian-Lung once again.

“Your obsession with Eiji Okumura fascinates me.” Tian-Lung remained on his knees, but acceptance of his fate had boldened him in a way only a dead man could be. “Jealousy is a fitting alternative for a person who is not capable of love.” Yut-Lung’s lip curled, and it distorted his fairness. His expression had darkened, and Blanca could easily imagine that face to be what a vengeful spirit would look like.

“And whose fault is that, Tian-Lung?”

“Baby brother, if you are to seek this revenge, be prepared to dig two graves.” Yut-Lung stared down at him imperiously. His last remaining blood relative.

“So long as you are in your grave before I am in mine, I can live with the knowledge.” Yut-Lung backed away even further, so he stood behind the armed men. The two Lee’s exchanged one last look at one another before Yut-Lung spoke for what would be a final time.

“再見”

_Goodbye._

Blanca observed as the deafening rattle of the guns pierced the air, and Yut-Lung did not even flinch. The final Lee brother fell forwards to the floor and blood began to seep from his wounds like rivers.

Lee Yut-Lung’s revenge was finally complete.

Blanca looked on at the scene, but remained quiet. He kept his thoughts to himself. It was an essential part of the job. A closed mouth ensured his survival. It was then he felt a gentle hand slither around his arm to take the crook of his elbow. Yut-Lung appeared next to him, a small, strangely gentle smile on his lips as if he had not seen his brother killed in cold blood before him.

“Shall we away, Blanca? I think my work here is done.”

.

The lights of New York passed by as dull blurs outside the tinted windows of their car. Beyond the circle of their protection from the outside world, car horns blared noisily from the city traffic, and rain hit the asphalt in a cacophony of sound. Blanca thought that maybe the rain was some kind of pathetic fallacy. Any other time, all the noise would have been a nuisance. New York was dubbed by the world as the city that never slept for good reason. There was always something going on. However, for all its aggressive and flamboyant personality, New York was offering a pleasant sort of ambience in the absence of any conversation between Blanca and Yut-Lung.

It was frequently that the pair would sit in the back seats of various cars, not exchanging any words between them. But something felt different this time. It wasn’t awkward, per se, but Blanca could sense that Yut-Lung had laid bare before him a part of himself that not many outsiders got to see. Or more accurately, lived to see. Blanca had witnessed Yut-Lung’s true face. And contrary to the mask he wore, it was ugly. In a silent return to Blanca’s observations, he was sure that Yut-Lung had figured out that Blanca would not judge him for his actions. Could not judge him. People like Yut-Lung with clan loyalties never betrayed their blood unless the reasoning was grave and beyond any other help.

Blanca spared a sideways glance at Yut-Lung in the plush leather seat next to him. He sat as he always did, one leg elegantly crossed over the other. His chin resting in his palm as he gazed out the window. The only difference from his usual appearance came in the form of a small splatter of blood staining the white of his trousers. It stood out like red wine on a pristine tablecloth. Yut-Lung must have sensed the boring eyes in the side of his head. He delicately picked his chin up off his hand to regard Blanca with keenness.

“Anything you wish to say?” There was a slight tone of warning to the lilt of his voice, but Blanca disregarded it with a simple smile and an expression of concern.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay, Sir. You seem tired.”

It was true. Yut-Lung had been awake well into the early hours of the morning in recent days. He spent his nights simply walking the halls of the Lee residence or sitting near the window to look out almost longingly. Blanca didn’t know if he was unable to sleep or if he was thinking or planning his next move. Maybe he just felt nostalgic for something Blanca knew nothing about. Yut-Lung’s expression softened into a look akin to fondness. It seemed such a violent juxtaposition to the cold, merciless face he had seen only half an hour before.

“I’m fine. I suppose I haven’t been sleeping too much lately, but now this…” he stopped to think of the correct word. “Endeavour. Is over, I think I’ll sleep far more soundly.” He averted his gaze from Blanca’s for a moment before he carefully glanced back up at him through long eyelashes. “Especially when you’re here to guard me.”

Blanca tried not to let his suspicious interpretation get away from him. He was a master at keeping anything he was thinking from seeping like ink into his outward expression. Yut-Lung’s wording was oddly flattering, but Blanca knew he would, and always will, keep the upmost professionalism on his part. It was what made him the best in the business.

“I will always do my best to ensure your safety, Mr. Lee.”

Following his affirmation, Yut-Lung’s body language slowly but surely began to change. His form coiled and shifted like the body of a snake until he had turned himself away from the car window fully to face Blanca. The street lights continued to stream past behind him and served to softly illuminate his hair, giving him an almost ethereal look. Like something not quite human. His focus almost pierced Blanca’s collected demeanour. It was as if Yut-Lung could turn him to cold stone with his stare alone. Blanca successfully maintained his composure as Yut-Lung leaned towards him ever so slightly in his seat. Keeping his legs crossed, he balanced on one hip and rested his palms on the empty space between them. The corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly upwards.

“Will I always be safe around you, Blanca?”

There was something in those dark brown eyes that drew Blanca to them. Forced him to keep his own gaze from roaming anywhere but into their depths. It was like being hypnotised. Or more like he was being tested. Would he submit to Yut-Lung as so many others had, or hold him up as his equal? Knowing what Blanca knew in regards to what the other was capable of, it was imperative he played his cards right. He would submit only as far as his contract would allow. He would not demand anything from the other or attempt to take anything from him in return. He would do his job like Yut-Lung was any other client. Blanca steeled himself.

“So long as I am able, I will do all within my power to ensure your safety. As your bodyguard, you are my top priority.”

Yut-Lung’s eyes widened ever so slightly. So subtly that anyone not as close as Blanca was would miss it. Blanca could have also sworn he spotted the tiniest dilation of his pupils within the dark rings of his irises. Or maybe now he was imagining things. Between Blanca and Yut-Lung, there existed some kind of invisible thread. The tenser Yut-Lung pulled it, and the more Blanca tried to resist it, the closer it came to breaking. Blanca didn’t know what it meant for him if that thread snapped. He didn’t want to find out. Yut-Lung retreated to rest himself comfortably back in his seat. But he continued to hold Blanca in his line of sight. Yut-Lung flexed his fingers in his lap. He glanced away for a split second and then peeked back up at the other demurely.

“What if it were Ash?” Deafening silence engulfed the car, and Blanca internally felt as if he’d been plunged into freezing water. He swallowed, and Yut-Lung’s eyes snapped briefly to where his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down before fixing back onto his face.

_Be honest._ Blanca told himself. _It was what he wanted to hear._

“If Ash Lynx threatened your safety, I would have no choice but to eliminate that threat. So long as I am contracted to you, I will protect and serve you.”

As predicted, Yut-Lung seemed satisfied with his answer, and relaxed fully in his seat. A part of Blanca relaxed with him. He didn’t know why he was as tense as he was around Yut-Lung. He thought that maybe Tian-Lung’s brutal death had put him on edge. He had now seen first-hand what Yut-lung was capable of. If he could murder his own family, he could murder Blanca with not so much as a stain on his conscience. Despite this, Blanca took comfort in the fact that he knew realistically if it came to it, he could easily kill him without a second thought. It would be all _too_ easy in fact. Although Yut-Lung possessed a devilish level of intelligence, nothing could change the fact he was a mere five foot eight and thin as a rake. Blanca could break him like glass.

Despite the vaguely unthreatening challenge he posed physically, there was something magnetically intriguing about Lee Yut-Lung that Blanca couldn’t deny. He felt the need to protect him in the same way he had wanted to protect a young Ash. He wanted to know more about Yut-Lung and why he had turned out the way he did. What had happened to his mother? What exactly did his brothers do to deserve his wrath? Blanca wanted to see beyond the dangerous beauty. An unhelpful niggling thought in the back of his head suggested that Yut-Lung _also_ wanted him to see what lay past the deadly venom he guarded himself with so fiercely. What treasures the dragon hid beyond its fiery defences.

After a few more minutes of silence, Yut-Lung began to muse out loud.

“I don’t understand it, Blanca.”

“Don’t understand what, sir?” he replied.

“Ash Lynx.” Blanca sighed softly. Of course that would be what he was thinking about.

“I don’t think many people understand Ash Lynx, young master.” He knew that wasn’t what Yut-Lung had meant, or the answer he was looking for. In a way, Blanca was surprised Yut-Lung didn’t understand Ash more than anyone else. They had both experienced much of the same hardships. There was an unusual irony in one of Ash’s greatest enemies being one of the only ones who could truly understand his pain. Like ying and yang, north and south, light and shadow. Undeniably different, but intrinsically linked.

“He could have the Corsican foundation in the palm of his hand, have the most powerful men in the world under his control and never have to live the life of a prostitute again. But he’d give all of that up for…” Yut-Lung couldn’t even bring himself to say his name, but Blanca mentally filled in the gap for him.

_Eiji Okumura. He’s giving it all up for Eiji Okumura._

“I suppose he’s found something he’s not willing to let go of. Now he has it, he’ll defend it until his final breath. I suppose that’s what love will do.”

Upon the mere mention of the word ‘love’, Yut-Lung visibly stiffened, and a wicked sneer marred his face. It was as if the notion had personally offended him. 

“Love is fake. It is exactly the kind of false ideal that will get him killed. Okumura Eiji will kill Ash Lynx in one way or another and Ash doesn’t even realise it.”

“I think he realises.” Blanca retorted gently. “But if he dies for love, even if you believe it is fake, to him, it is worth it. Okumura Eiji is worth it.”

Blanca felt a displaced sense of pity for Yut-Lung in that moment. Not that he’d ever mention it to his young master’s face. But to be so cynical so young was undeniable evidence of something happening in his short life that was very, very wrong. But he couldn’t blame him for it. He had thought the same thing when he had met Ash. If what Mr. Golzine had told him was correct, both Ash and Yut-Lung had started life seeing the very worst of what humanity had to offer. They both had to grow up with the knowledge that if they did not act like predators, they could so easily become prey. Everything they did, everything they said became for their own survival. Whether it was sacrificing their humanity for the will of someone else, satisfying the lust of the wealthy, or even twisting their words so they became melodies to their oppressor’s ears. Every action was so they could live to fight another day.

Really, Blanca thought, it was no surprise Yut-Lung could not understand Ash’s actions. Okumura Eiji served Ash no purpose. In a world where they would kill or be killed, Ash had seemed to take all the odds against his own favour, stacked all his chips on a losing hand, and did so knowing it would lead to his downfall… and he did it all for a Japanese boy who could give him nothing but love in return. He had thrown away all that was reasonable and logical… for love.

Yut-Lung shook his head in reminiscence of his disbelief.

“He willingly returned to the man who made his life hell. He would have willingly put a bullet through his brain. All for this helpless boy who cowers like a rabbit in headlights.” Yut-Lung was no longer preoccupied with Blanca. Instead, Blanca got the impression he was talking to himself instead of anyone in particular. Absolutely disbelieving how anyone in their position could do what Ash had done to protect someone.

“Even when Okumura Eiji came to see me, he was hopeless. Ash sacrificed everything for him, and Okumura still wouldn’t give up. Swore up and down he cared about him. Even Sing Soo-Ling told me I was being hysterical. I don’t understand it.”

Blanca didn’t know what to say. He tried, and ultimately failed to come up with some sort of explanation. Yut-Lung’s hatred of Ash came from a place of misunderstanding. Came from a lifetime of abuse and uncertainty. How could he explain love to someone who had never experienced it? It was like trying to describe colour to a blind man. Blanca was almost relieved when his train of thought was suddenly halted by movement from the corner of his eye.

Blanca sat up straight and narrowed his eyes in on the driver of the car. His heart began to pick up pace in his chest when he realised it was not one of the regular Lee family drivers. Beside him, Yut-Lung immediately noticed the shift in Blanca’s behaviour, and furrowed his brow. By the way Blanca looked, he could also tell that something was wrong. Blanca very subtly took Yut-Lung’s hand where their mystery driver couldn’t see, and squeezed firmly in both a gesture of reassurance and as a prompt to act natural. They had to pretend as if they were not suspicious or else this could end very poorly for the both of them. Blanca plastered on a deceptive smile and cheerfully engaged with the driver as if nothing were amiss.

“Fancied giving us the scenic route tonight?” The driver perked up as he was spoken to. He didn’t take his eyes off the road, but met Blanca’s stare in the rear view mirror. He responded with a matching frivolity.

“I had news come through that all this rain had burst one of the watermains on our usual route. I thought this way would get us through the traffic quicker! We don’t want to be waiting around when the young master has had a testing night!” he smiled at Blanca as if he were doing them a favour.

Blanca’s mind immediately cast him back to Tian-Lung’s brutal death earlier that night. From his chosen spot in the corner, he could see everyone in the room. The six armed men of the Corsican mafia, the two brothers, and himself. His suspicions were confirmed when he could recall no other members of the Chinese in the room when Tian-Lung died. Whoever this man pretending to be their driver was, by insinuating he knew what had happened that night, he had just blown his cover majorly. Word of Tian-Lung’s death must have gotten out somehow. Perhaps people still loyal to Tian-Lung? It didn’t matter. This man had put himself here for a reason. To get to Lee Yut-Lung. And that meant it was Blanca’s job to predict when he would try and strike.

“Yes, the young master is tired after his meeting. It went on for quite a while.” The smile fell from Blanca’s face and all merriment evaporated from his voice. The driver seemed to notice this, and watched him carefully through the mirror. His happy façade had also fallen, and his words turned careful and calculated.

“Well…” he paused. “We all knew how Tian-Lung got…”

Past tense. Somehow, he knew. Somehow, he knew that Lee Yut-Lung had betrayed his own clan. Knew that he was to blame for the deaths of six of seven Lee brothers.

It all happened in what seemed like a split second. To Blanca, everything moved in slow motion. The man in the driver’s seat reached into his blazer, and Blanca unbuckled his seatbelt to throw himself over Yut-Lung. Yut-Lung let out a short scream from under him as the driver’s gun fired twice in quick succession. Double tap. It let Blanca know that this man was trained. Someone with skill in firearms never fired a handgun once. The sharp sound of bullets firing was only amplified in the tight space of the car. Blanca felt the two separate thuds in the back panel of the bulletproof vest he wore underneath his shirt. The impacts sent shuddering shockwaves up his spine. In retaliation, he reached down to his waist for his own gun, all the time ensuring Yut-Lung was safe beneath him.

He drew the small handgun from his holster. It was a kind that could be easily concealed. Perfect for dealing with assassination attempts in close spaces like these. All in one motion, he stuck the short barrel through the gap between the driver’s seat and the headrest and wasted no time in pulling the trigger.

_One. Two._

The body of the assassin recoiled violently when the bullets travelled through his head. Blood began to fly, painting the interior of the car a gruesome dark red. The windscreen of the car shattered, and the car careered off to the side of the road. When it abruptly hit a parked car, the body slumped down over the steering wheel, and Blanca quickly reached forward to the centre console to put the car in neutral and pull the handbrake up. He didn’t want the dead assassin’s weight to put pressure on the accelerator and send them flying forwards.

Everything must have happened within twenty seconds, but it felt like minutes. The initial commotion, the bone rattling thuds of the gun, the explosion of blood that continued to drip everywhere from the body in the driver’s seat. Blanca heaved heavy breaths, willing himself to calm down and encouraging his adrenaline to slow. That had been close. Too close. He closed his eyes and reassured himself it was okay to settle. When he found the fortitude to look around again, he glanced down at Yut-Lung. Beneath him, he looked so small and frightened. He had drawn his knees up to his chest, and his hands still grasped the lapels of Blanca’s coat. His eyes were wide and scared and his breathing shallow and deep all at once. Blanca could see his eyes following the drips of blood falling from the ceiling of the car into his hair

“It’s okay. He’s gone.” Yut-Lung said nothing. Did nothing. Eventually, he nodded erratically, his senses still on high alert. However, he knew in the back of his mind they had to get moving before anyone came to investigate.

“I-“ He took a deep breath to calm himself. “I will call my people in to clean this up.”

As Yut-Lung shifted to reach for his bag, Blanca backed up and slumped down beside him. He winced ever so slightly, letting a hiss escape his lips. Yut-Lung suddenly turned to him and placed a careful hand on his shoulder.

“He shot you! Did he get you? Are you hurt?” Blanca shook his head.

“He shot my vest, luckily for me. I’m okay.” Yut-Lung nodded warily and then went back to fishing into his bag to pull out his emergency phone. The number he required was on speed dial. When he called, Blanca knew the scene would look like it had never happened.

After taking a moment to collect himself, Blanca pulled the body from the driver’s seat and climbed over the centre console to take his place. His trousers were soaked in blood, but he couldn’t dwell on it. He put the car in gear and took the two of them off into a backstreet so they could quickly ditch the car and not disrupt any traffic. In the seat behind him, he heard Yut-Lung hang up the phone after a few minutes.

“They’ll come and pick up the car and ensure this whole thing never happened.” Blanca nodded from the front seat.

“So… now what?” Yut-Lung asked.

“We can’t go back to your residence. Your security may have been compromised.” Yut-Lung immediately returned to digging into his small bag. Blanca watched him through the mirror. From a small side pocket, he pulled out a card.

“If you don’t think it’s safe for me to return home, I have a premium membership of the Hotel Elysee. It’s not far from here. We can stay there for as long as we need.”

It was one of the most upscale hotels in all of New York. One room cost thousands a night, but that wasn’t what was on Blanca’s mind. He mentally ran through a risk assessment. It was unlikely anyone with ill intentions towards them could predict they’ll end up there. That and the nature of the hotel meant security was tight. Although he would do a thorough search of the room when they got there anyway. Just to be safe.

“Sounds perfect.”

Blanca got out the car, ignoring the dripping body he had shoved into the passenger seat. Above him, the rain pelted down violently. Yut-Lung also stepped out the car on shaky legs. Although he did so much more cautiously than Blanca. He was still understandably on edge. Blanca couldn’t blame him. It was twice since he’d known his young master that someone had made an attempt on his life. This time, they had gotten uncomfortably close. Yut-Lung must have been thinking about how close they would get the next time. How long it would take before one of the attempts was finally successful.

“Should I call another car?” Blanca walked around Yut-Lung to open the boot and pull out an umbrella and a new, unstained coat he kept exactly for this kind of scenario. It was full length and black. Perfect for hiding the bloodstains all over his clothes. Luckily Yut-Lung had escaped much of the mess, as Blanca had taken the full brunt of the blast. He opened the umbrella and held it over his master’s head.

“No. We’ll walk to be safe.”

Yut-Lung nodded. He wouldn’t argue. Not when Blanca’s quick thinking had saved his life. As they began to make their way away from the scene, Blanca felt Yut-Lung inch ever closer towards him. He was still frightened and insecure. Yut-Lung didn’t see the outside world all that much anyway, nevermind after an attempt on his life. He was always protected within the Lee circle. His wealth often shielded him from many everyday interactions any other person wouldn’t even think twice about. Blanca, noticing his wariness, offered him his arm to hold, and Yut-Lung clasped his hands around the crook of his elbow. He tried to stay as close to Blanca’s side as possible. He was nervous. Watching every person who passed them as if they would reach out to snatch him at any second. Blanca took a moment to acknowledge how unfitting it was of his character. For Yut-Lung to act as fragile as he looked. It was him that now resembled the rabbit in headlights instead of the cold and cunning snake. Nevertheless, what had happened was sudden and almost killed him. Blanca would offer him anything within his power to make him feel safe, as was his job as his bodyguard. He allowed him to press as close as he wished on the walk to the hotel, where they could finally rest assured nothing would reach them.

Blanca couldn’t help but let his mind wonder.

After all Ash had been through, did he find comfort in holding Eiji close like this?

.

The hotel staff had been all too eager to tend to Yut-Lung from the minute he made his way into their lobby. As soon as he stepped foot in the place, he was offered a blanket, hot drink and somewhere to sit as his room was sorted to his pre-approved liking. Blanca didn’t know if the smiles from the serving staff were real or not. He supposed anyone would have been happy to know that someone with the amount of money the Lee family possessed had chosen their hotel to stay. The pair of them were welcomed with a cheery smile, everything their hearts desired was taken care of, and most importantly, if anyone did see any blood, no one asked any questions. The service they paid for was truly second to none. As soon as they set foot into the pristine building, Blanca’s wet umbrella was taken to be dried and stored, lest it dripped unpleasantly over the white marble floor. They waited on pristine cream settees until they were escorted personally to their rooms. The hotelier had also taken the liberty of arranging for Yut-Lung’s clothes to be brought over by a trusted Lee family representative. He went on to assure Yut-Lung they would be there within minutes, pressed, and delivered to his room. 

Even as hotel staff hustled and bustled around them, flitting in and out like busy bees, Yut-Lung had never left Blanca’s side. Blanca didn’t know if he still wanted comfort or protection. Perhaps both. He supposed that to Yut-Lung he had been the one constant in all of the day’s dramatic events. He had made a promise to the young master to protect him, after all. And as long as he was under contract, he would never break that promise. 

Yut-Lung only allowed himself to relax once he had been left to the privacy of his room. And what a room it was. Blanca was certain that if anyone stayed here, they would feel their worries melt away instantly. Yut-Lung had received only the finest penthouse suite on the top floor of the hotel. It provided him a most stunning view of the New York skyline. Skyscrapers jutted out above the smaller buildings and the tiny lights of streetlamps looked like fireflies down below them. The rain continued to rattle against the large window, and Blanca looked out onto the streets far below to watch the cars pass by slowly and people hurry to and fro trying to get out of the rain. It was one of the things Blanca liked to indulge himself in. He enjoyed simply sitting back and watching people pass by without a care in the world. He could tell so much about a person by the way they walked, or the way they dressed. It was like they spoke a different language through their bodies. People unknowingly revealed so much about themselves in the simple decisions they made in their everyday lives.

Yut-Lung had disappeared into the bathroom a while ago, but even the clothes he left behind told a story: The richness of the fabric he was dressed in, the Chinese patterning embossed upon his changshan, the tiny bottle of perfume he tucked in his inside pocket. Even his shoes told a story. Their soles were barely worn, evidencing that the person who wore them didn’t need to bother themselves with walking much. That or the shoes were changed frequently. Blanca supposed in this rare instance; both the observations were true. Blanca had made it his business, as Yut-lung’s bodyguard, to familiarise himself with his young master’s habits. The way he removed his shoes every time he entered his home or walked on the edge of the stairs to remain silent as he went about his day. Blanca had even picked up on the smallest of his quirks that even Yut-Lung himself probably didn’t know he had. How he preferred his hair to fall over his left shoulder because he was right handed. How he closed, but didn’t lock all the doors and windows before he went to bathe. How he mumbled quietly in Cantonese but then repeated his thoughts back to himself out loud in Mandarin.

Every person had oddities. Yut-Lung was no exception.

Blanca made his way over to the telephone on the bedside table and took the time to call down to reception to order some room service for them both. He was met with an enthusiastic “at once, sir” before he hung up the phone.

Blanca then strode towards the full-length mirror that hung on the wall. He examined his reflection. He looked tired. He ran a finger slowly across the red circles under his eyes. He hoped the beds here weren’t too soft, otherwise he’d never get a good night’s sleep. Slowly and methodically, he began to unbutton his shirt before unstrapping the bulletproof vest that had certainly earned its keep today. He placed the vest on a chair off to the side to take a closer look at it. There they were. Two small holes accounting for the two shots that the assassin had fired. He stuck a curious finger in each of the small holes that had been made in the strong Kevlar. The bullets could not have been very big, but they certainly would have done the job. It was a good thing that Blanca was as vigilant and cautious as he was, otherwise he believed he was safe in his assumption that both he and Yut-Lung would be dead.

Blanca turned his attention back to his reflection in the mirror. He rotated to the left and to the right trying to get a better angle to see the extent of the damage. To try and see where the bullets would have struck him. Experience told him that he should see a large bruise already starting to form in the spot. Lo and behold, there in the mirror he could see an ugly red and off purple bruise forming just below his right shoulder blade. He brought tentative fingers up to press against it lightly, and hissed as it responded to the touch with a dull, but strong ache.

“That looks painful.” Blanca’s head snapped up to where Yut-Lung was leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, plainly watching Blanca assess his wounds. Blanca stared back at him, wondering if he would say anything else.

Yut-Lung’s hair was still slightly damp from the shower and cascaded down his back to fall loosely about his waist. Some tendrils had fallen over his shoulder and served to frame his face. His skin looked clean and moisturised from the warm water. On his body, he wore an emerald green bathrobe, in silk, as always. As he stepped away from the doorway, his bare feet sunk into the high thread count of the carpet. Blanca reassured him, in case he was worried about his capacity to do his job.

“It’s okay. A couple of weeks and it’ll be like it was never there.” Yut-Lung hummed and made his way across the room to his bedside drawers. Blanca’s eyes followed every step he took.

Yut-Lung dug through his various trinkets and knick knacks. Things that had been brought over for him from his residence. He let out a small ‘aha’ when he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a clear jar that appeared to contain some kind of salve.

“Tiger balm?” Blanca asked questioningly. Yut-Lung shook his head.

“While I appreciate the properties of Tiger Balm, I find my own remedies work much better.” He took a few short, relaxed steps towards Blanca before unscrewing the lid of the jar. Suddenly, the tension in the room began to thicken as Blanca carefully observed Yut-Lung in the reflection of the mirror. Yut-Lung took some of the salve onto his fingers and closed the distance between them. Blanca held his breath as Yut-Lung very gently began to apply it across his wound. His touch seemed to glide across his skin. It was so light Blanca could barely detect it was there… except he could. He was hyperaware of it. They were both quiet. The intimacy of the act was undoubtable. It felt so personal. Blanca swallowed. Hard. He fixed his eyes on those matching him in his reflection. Yut-Lung’s form was almost entirely concealed behind his, as it had been earlier that day. Except this was different. It was tender. It was _dangerously_ close.

Yut-Lung’s voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper. Words only meant for Blanca to hear.

“I never thanked you properly… for saving my life.” Blanca said nothing. He continued to lock eyes with his own reflection. Yut-Lung continued. “You were right. When I needed you most, you were there for me.” The hand on his back flattened across the uninjured part of his shoulder blade, and Blanca felt lips at his ear.

“You protected me just like you promised.”

The hand then left him, but Blanca didn’t relax. He could feel Yut-Lung shifting behind him. Could sense him so acutely his heart began to pick up pace. The feeling wasn’t like danger, but it didn’t allow him to let his guard down either. This time, he felt scrutinised. Like every inch of his being, every corner of his personality, every curve and plain of his body was being examined. Like he and Yut-Lung were inching ever closer to the edge of a cliff. Like Yut-Lung had taken careful scissors to the thread between them and was painstakingly slowly starting to cut.

Before he even knew what was going on, his young master was stood before him.

Blanca could no longer fix his eyes to his reflection. It was the only time in his life the shock he felt had been readable on his face. As he looked down, he saw that the knot of Yut-Lung’s robe had been untied, and the silky fabric covering his back and shoulders had slipped down his arms to rest at his elbows. He stood before Blanca almost completely bare. He was so close that he had to crane his neck to look up and meet his studying gaze with an undeniable lust behind his eyes. He wore nothing except his dishevelled robe and a jade necklace that sat on his sternum. Except he didn’t just have a singular piece of jade. He had six more cracked pieces that accompanied them. One for each of his fallen brothers. Blanca dared not move. Dared not speak. Dared not breathe. Yut-Lung’s voice returned, it remained quiet. Intimate. His lips inches away from Blanca’s skin. His words only spoken for the two of them to hear.

“Thank you for protecting me.”

Yut-Lung rose to the tips of his toes, and Blanca’s hair stood up as curious fingers brushed across the muscles of his chest. Then he felt it. Feather light kisses being placed at the base of his neck and Yut-Lung’s body pressed against his.

Blanca did not move a single inch. His mind began to take him back to a dark time many years ago. A time when he had lost everything. A time after Natasha had been killed and Blanca had misplaced all that he knew about himself. It was a time when he had forgotten what his name was other than merely ‘Blanca’. When his soul was gone, when his life was dark, and when he couldn’t care less who lived and who died. In his mind, he knew that if what was happening to him now had happened to him then, he would have indulged Yut-Lung no questions asked. Would have pressed him back into the mattress and engrained himself on his memory. Blanca knew now his morals were grey. Knew it since he had killed his first man. But at that time of his life (if he could have even called it life), nothing could have justified any action he took. His morals became so dark they disappeared. Not even grey. He didn’t dare think of anything that could have gotten in his way when he was angry at the world. Never thought anything of consequences. He had lost everything and had acted like no one else deserved anything either. If he couldn’t have it, no one could. And that was fine by him. He was freefalling, never once stopping to think about what would happen when he hit the ground.

He felt the kisses on his neck turn to kitten licks and gentle grazes of teeth. One by one his nerves were being set alight. Like a trail of gunpowder to dynamite. One of Yut-Lung’s hands came up to caress the strong line of his jaw. Almost unconsciously, he felt his own hands move to take Yut-Lung’s hips. His eyes began to flutter shut.

He immediately thought back to those dark times. The abyss of nothingness inside the hollow shell of his person. He existed in limbo between having everything he could have ever wanted, and having nothing at the exact same time. Having no morality or remorse brought him more money than he knew what to do with, brought him a warm body in his bed every night, and had the most powerful men on Earth under his thumb. He was invincible. Nothing in the world could touch him.

Then everything had changed when he met Aslan Callenreese.

The pleasure of the open-mouthed kisses on his neck faded away into nothingness, as did the ever boldening touches on his body. He could feel none of it. All Blanca could see in his mind was a young Ash laying atop a filthy hotel room bed. Violated by men twice his age. His body broken. His spirit broken.

Blanca stopped to consider how he had compared Ash and Yut-Lung. How frightfully similar he always considered them. He thought back to how he had seen Yut-Lung murder his brother in cold blood that very same day. How Blanca had taught Ash to do exactly the same to those that oppressed him. How he had taught him how to protect himself, because at the end of the day, Ash had been _so_ vulnerable. He had been taken advantage of over and over. How could it not have occurred to Blanca that Yut-Lung was exactly the same?

Yut-Lung was also vulnerable. He had had his spirit and body broken by those who didn’t deserve to see the light of day. Yut-Lung had no one to mentor him. No one to take his side. Blanca had often compared him to a snake. But now he was realising that his venom was used as a defence in the same way the Lynx’s claws struck down anyone who thought their abuse would go without consequence.

In that very moment, Blanca knew exactly why Yut-Lung was acting the way he was towards him. It was a heart-breaking misunderstanding of why Blanca had tried so hard to protect and defend him. This was a meagre attempt to replicate what Ash had found in Eiji Okumura. This is what Yut-Lung thought love looked like.

Yut-Lung had survived this long by manipulating and deceiving, but the thing he truly wanted, the only thing he had ever done for himself and not for his own survival, was something that could not be manipulated. Such a powerful human emotion could not be manifested in its purest form off the back of deception. Blanca had done what no one else had ever done for Yut-Lung. He had protected him. Made him feel safe. Looked after him when no one else would. His brothers had not done that for him. His mother had not done that for him. His own countrymen had not done that for him.

There was a time in his life where Blanca had thought if he couldn’t have something then no one else could.

And now he finally knew the true reason why Yut-Lung hated Eiji Okumura.

There was finally someone who existed that understood Yut-Lung’s pain. Knew what it was like to suffer at the hands of monsters. So then why had Ash been rewarded when Yut-Lung had been shunned? Why had someone come along and accepted Ash as he was with no conditions attached, and no one had done the same for Yut-Lung? It explained everything. The way he naturally latched onto the first person who showed any kind of concern for him. Except… this was the only way he knew how to express it. The only way he felt he could get what he wanted from Blanca without opening himself to attack. He was familiar with sex. He knew what to expect. When he seduced someone, he felt powerful in a way his brothers weren’t. It served as the only method in his arsenal where he could finally get anyone to comply with what _he_ wanted. The only way people would _finally_ listen to him.

It was sad. It was damaging. It was wrong.

Blanca would not make himself part of Yut-Lung’s illusion of love. He would not take advantage of someone so desperate for human connection he thought this was the only way to get it. If he did, Blanca would be spitting in the face of all he had taught Ash Lynx. If he allowed this to continue, he would be letting himself be dragged down to the very lowest level of existence. 

He couldn’t do it. It had to stop.

Exercising caution, he very gently pushed Yut-Lung away to create at least some distance between them. Blanca opened his eyes to look down at Yut-Lung. He could still feel the phantom hands on his chest and ghosts of lips on his neck. But he was absolutely solid in his conviction. He watched as Yut-Lung’s face shifted through all kinds of expressions before settling somewhere between hurt and confusion. Blanca could tell that Yut-Lung didn’t understand why he was being rejected. Didn’t know what had gone wrong. Didn’t know why his method was not working.

Blanca carefully took the shoulders of Yut-Lung’s robe and slid them back up to cover him. He reached around him to tie the strings about his small waist to preserve his modesty. He took a moment to brace himself before speaking. He knew he had to be careful with his words. He didn’t want to cause any more distress. 

“Young master, as long as I am under your contract, I will always protect you, which is why this cannot happen. If we continue, this will cause you more harm than good.”

Yut-Lung just stood before him. Speechless. Staring. He was confused, and Blanca could see his mind cycling through what he could have possibly done wrong.

“But everyone I’ve ever-“ Blanca swore under his breath. He was seventeen years old. There should not have been others. He should only be just starting to experience the adult world. He should not know the things that he did. Not about death, not about sex, not about any of it.

He watched as Yut-Lung’s expression morphed into anger. Or at least it looked like anger from the outside. It could have easily been hurt, or embarrassment. Blanca couldn’t tell. 

“Don’t treat me like a child!”

“I’m sorry the world has been so cruel to you. You should never have been treate-“

“I don’t need your pity!”

“If you want a love like Ash Lynx has, you will not find it like this.”

There it was. The unspoken second thread of tension between them had been snapped. Blanca’s words had come out colder than he had intended, but really, it was the root of every decision Yut-Lung had made. The cause of every one of his problems. Yut-Lung knew it too. He was jealous. Not for the first time that night, he was stunned into silence. The love that existed between Ash and Eiji was an open nerve that Ash poked and prodded every time he did anything to defend the one he loved. It was not Ash’s fault. It was not Yut-Lung’s fault. Ash had something Yut-Lung didn’t have, and Yut-Lung hated it. Hated it with all his soul. It made his insides burn with envy. 

Blanca sighed deeply before he strode past Yut-Lung to sit himself heavily on the bed, a sense of weariness about his character. The silence, once again, was deafening.

“Yut-Lung.” It was the only time he had ever addressed him by just his name. “The thing about love is that it requires sacrifice. In a way, it is unfair. It demands you give up even the most intimate things about yourself. You do not only give up your body. You also must give up your mind.” Yut-Lung’s lips drew into a tight line, and discomfort seeped off of him in waves. Blanca continued.

“That is the difference between you and Ash. Ash chose to sacrifice everything for love. To give all of himself to Eiji Okumura. But none of that is your fault. Your mind is the only thing in your life that has belonged to you and you alone. It is natural that you guard your thoughts over everything. But Eiji Okumura gave Ash a place to be vulnerable in a world that does not allow him the luxury, and you can’t stand it.” An uncomfortable sense of understanding passed between them. Yut-Lung looked away. They both understood that he could never give up his mind. He could never sacrifice the only thing that has ensured his survival. The only thing that could not be taken from him. Could not be forced into compliance. Could not be violated by someone else. To give up his mind would be like inviting wolves into his home to eat him alive. Yut-lung’s face became solemn and his eyes conflicted.

“Eiji Okumura must die for Ash to live. Vulnerability has no place in our world. They cannot exist together. He knows that as well as I do.”

Blanca knew then that his advice had gone as far as it could in Yut-Lung’s understanding. He stood from the bed, moved towards him and tucked a strand of damp hair behind Yut-Lung’s ear. It may have been a trick of the light, but he sworn he could see tears brimming.

“Goodnight, young master.” He turned and headed for the door.

“Why is that Japanese boy worth it!? If Ash believes in such a stupid thing like love, he deserves everything that’s coming to him!” Yut-Lung shouted after him. And there, Blanca knew that either Yut-Lung or Ash would not make it out of the Banana Fish investigation alive. Like a blunt force meeting an immovable object. Like burning fire and raging water. So intent on destroying one another they destroyed themselves in the process. It was a cruel irony. Blanca turned to look at Lee Yut-Lung a final time, and for once, his young master’s expression said so much more than any of his words did.

His teary wide eyes asked why _he_ was alone. His trembling lips asked why _he_ wasn’t worth anyone’s sacrifice. His fisted hands asked why no one loved _him_ like Eiji and Ash loved one another.

“Young master, green is not your colour, but I will never blame you for wearing it.”


End file.
